OCD

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) involves unwanted obsessions and repetitive behaviors/compulsions that a person feels the need to perform.

Common forms of obsession may include:

• Contamination fears

• Aggressive or sexual thoughts

• Need for exactness or symmetry

• Moral or religious concerns

Common compulsions may include:

• Excessive hand washing

• Repetition in everyday actions or phrases

• Arranging things in specific orders

• One more

Things like these may depend on the person and can sound weird or overly repetitive to people without the disorder. These obsessions and compulsions vary from normal worries as they may take hours and can cause immense stress and interference with things like work, relationships, and daily activities.

• Anyone can have OCD, but it is most commonly found in adolescents between the ages of 7 and 12.

While OCD can’t be “cured,” it is highly treatable. Treatment for OCD consists of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), especially Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) which can help with managing compulsions, and teach patients to sit with obsessions without acting up on them. Regular ERP therapy sessions gives control over these time-wasting thoughts which can bring freedom and concentration.